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East Asia
Mastery of silence and subtle violence
A review of Stoker directed by Park Chan-wook If we take a look at the world cinema, each country’s has a different trait that defines the industry. It is a whole different set of aesthetics which appeal to the local audience, and often times, to a global audience as well.…
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East Asia
[Books] Meet Malala
I Am Malala The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban By Malala Yousafzai with Christina Lamb | Little, Brown and Company | 2013 Malala Yousafzai, the brave Pakistani girl who stood up for education and was shot in the head by the Taliban, writes…
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East Asia
Our culture, our global citizenship
There is a strong belief that culture is becoming an overwhelming global citizenship. Some of us are connected with others under the sky of religions, or gathered in the tent of languages, or collected below the tree of races, or even corresponded with the shadow of political loyalties. Only culture…
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East Asia
Is North Korea a ‘communist state’ or a ‘market economy’?
North Korea is often described as a ‘communist country’ by outsiders, and also officially describes itself as a ‘socialist country.’ But, what exactly is a ‘communist state,’ or (to use a less ideologically charged term) a ‘country of state socialism’? It is usually a country where all or most of…
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East Asia
Serving as a facilitator for new democracies
Interview with first Secretary General of A-WEB, Kim Yong-Hi The Association of World Election Bodies (A-WEB), the international organization in the electoral field, officially launched with the participation of about 120 countries around the world. At the inaugural assembly held in Convensia in Songdo International City, Incheon, South Korea on…
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Russia’s interests on the Korean Peninsula
The summit between South Korean President Park Geun-hye and Russian President Vladimir Putin has attracted much attention to Russia’s attitude toward the problems of the Korean peninsula. When it comes to Russia’s attitude to South Korea, there is surprisingly little to discuss. In spite of some misunderstandings and minor frictions,…
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East Asia
Press freedom struggles symbolise ‘Gwangju Spirit’
In the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, the wily general Tsao Tsao, noted for his one-upmanship, often claims credit for himself whenever his lieutenant comes up with battle plans by declaring, “What you have just said is already in my mind.” I do not see myself doing a Tsao Tsao…
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East Asia
Annual lantern festival under way with 30,000 lamps lighting up central Seoul
The annual Seoul Lantern Festival kicks off in central Seoul on Novemver 1, with 30,000 colored lanterns lighting up Cheonggye Stream in central Seoul. Seoul Metropolitan Government unveiled program details of the lantern festival to be held for 17 days from Friday. The organizing committee of the 2013 Seoul Lantern…
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East Asia
Chinese police follow 8 suspects of Tiananmen attack that killed 5 people
Chinese police are circulating a list of eight suspects wanted in connection with an apparent suicide car attack near Tiananmen Square in Beijing that killed five people and injured dozens, a hotel manager said Wednesday. Seven of the eight suspects on the list had names typical of the Turkic Muslim…
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Emergence of market economy in North Korea
What can we learn from the dramatic transformation that North Korea has undergone in the last two decades? I am afraid that many of my readers might not like my conclusions, but for me, the last two decades are another confirmation that markets and trade are all too natural for…
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